Fog-signal light.



R. 0. DOUGLAS.

FOG SIGNAL LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED OOT. 13, 1910.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

544M047 12. (112011; Zas,

attozmq o UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROY C. DOUGLAS, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

FOG-SIGNAL LIGHT.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Roy C. DOUGLAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fog-Signal Lights; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to -make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in electric fog signal lights.

One object of the invention is to provide a fog signal of this character having means whereby the same is intermittently lighted.

Another object is to provide an electric fog signal having means whereby one of the electrodes or carbon points is automatically adjusted with respect to the other oint as said points are consumed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully de scribed and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved fog signal; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the point adj usting or feeding mechanism for the stationary electrode; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of one of the electrode holders and its adjust-- ing mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a base plate formed of suitable non-conducting material. On the base 1 is secured a post or standard 2 on the upper end of which is fixed a stationary tubu lar electrode holder 3 in which is slidably mounted an electrode 4c which may be formed of carbon or platinum.

In the outer end of the tubular holder 8 is formed a threaded passage 5 in which is screwed an electrode adjusting screw 6 having on its inner end a plunger head 7 adapted to engage the inner end of the electrode and force the same outwardly. On the outer end of the adjusting screw is fixedly mounted a star wheel 8 of fiber or other nonconducting material which is adapted to be engaged by a trip finger 9 carried by an ad justing shaft 10 mounted in bearing stand- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 13, 1910.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

Serial No. 586,921.

ards 11 secured to the base plate 1. On the shaft 10 is fixedly mounted a ratchet gear 12 which is engaged by a pawl 13 pivoted on a rocker arm 14 loosely mounted on the shaft 10 and connected to an operating mechanism hereinafter described. On the base 1 is secured two bearing standards 15 in which is revolubly mounted an electrode operating shaft 16. On the outer end of the shaft 16 and in line with the stationary electrode holder 3 is a revoluble holder 17 with which is adjustably engaged a second electrode or carbon point 18. The point 18 is adjusted in the holder 17 by an adjusting screw 19 corresponding to the screw 6 of the holder 3 but having on its outer end a nutted head 20 whereby the screw may be manually turned to project the carbon point 18 toward the point 4.

The shaft 16 is connected by a train of speed reducing gears 20 to an electric m0- tor 21 which is connected to any suitable source of electric supply and is provided with a switch 22 for controlling the same. Any number and arrangement of the gears 20 may be provided whereby the speed of the shaft 16 may be regulated to cause the carbon point or electrode 18 to make any desired number of revolutions per minute. On the shaft 16 is fixed a cam or eccentric disk 23 preferably of hard fiber or other non-conducting material on which is arranged an eccentric strap 24 having connected thereto a pitman rod 25 also of nonconducting material. The opposite end of the pitman rod 25 is pivotally connected to the outer end of the rocker arm 14 whereby the same is swung back and forth and thus through the pawl 13 and ratchet gear 12 imparts a step by step motion to the shaft 10. This movement of the shaft 10 slowly revolves the finger 9 which at each revolution comes into contact with the star wheel 8 on the electrode feed screw 6 thereby gradually feeding the electrode 4: toward the opposing electrode as the points of the electrodes are burned away. The feeding of the electrode 4: will, of course, be adjusted to the strength of the current and the consequent consumption of the carbon point, by connecting the pitman 25 tothe rock arm 14': nearer to or farther from the end of the same. If the point should be consumed very rapidly additional fingers 9 may be provided. It will beunderstood, of course, that each machine will be adjusted or adapted to the strength of the current available or intended to be used.

The electrodes 4 and 18 are so relatively disposed that the moving electrode 18 makes a wiping contact with the stationary electrode 4: across the end thereof. They are arranged in a suitable electric light circuit one wire 26 of which is connected to the holder of the stationary electrode and the other wire 27 of which is connected to one of the bearings of the shaft of the revolving electrode as shown. In the electric light circuit is arranged an ordinary spark coil 28 and a fuse box 29 as shown. This circuit is also provided with a switch 30 whereby the current may be cut off at will.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily appreciated that as the moving electrode is rotated by the motor and train of gearing 20, the end of said electrode will be carried past the end of the stationary electrode with a wiping contact so that as the electrodes separate an arc will be formed and a light flashed to give a signal. As the shaft 16 carrying the movable electrode rotates, the pitman 25 will be reciprocated under the influence of the cam 23 and the rocker-arm let will thereby be oscillated so that the pawl 13 will engage the ratchet wheel 12 and thereby rotate the shaft 10 with a step-by-step movement so that the finger 9 will be brought into engagement with the star wheel 8 and the electrode 4 fed forwardly a slight distance to compensate for the consumption. It will be understood, of course, that the screw 6 has threads of a very slight pitch so that the forward movement of the electrode 4 will be very slight but by properly adjusting the pitman and rocker arm may be made to occur sufliciently often to compensate for the consumption.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An electric signal light comprising a stationary electrode, a revoluble electrode arranged to make wiping contact with the stationary electrode, means to operate said revoluble electrode, means to manually adjust said revoluble electrode longitudinally, and means to automatically adjust said stationary electrode to compensate for consumption.

2. An electric signal light comprising a stationary electrode, a revoluble electrode arranged to make wiping contact with said stationary electrode, means to operate said revoluble electrode, a manually operated adj usting screw adapted to engage said revoluble electrode, an adjusting screw engaged with said stationary electrode, an operating wheel on said screw, a tripping mechanism adapted to engage said wheel, a pawl and ratchet operating mechanism to actuate said tripping mechanism, and means whereby said pawl and ratchet operating mechanism is driven by said electrode operating mechanism.

3. An electric signal light comprising a stationary electrode, a standard, a tubular holder on said standard, an elect-rode slidably mounted in said holder, an electrode adjusting screw having a threaded engagement with said holder, a star wheel on said screw, a screw operating shaft, a trip finger on said shaft adapted to engage said star wheel, a ratchet gear fixed on said shaft, a rocker-arm loosely mounted on said shaft, a pawl carried by said arm and engaging said ratchet gear, a revolubly mounted electrode operating shaft, an electrode holder secured to said shaft, a revoluble electrode adjust ably secured in said holder, means to rotate said shaft, an eccentric arranged on said shaft, and a pitman connecting said eccentric with said rocker-arm.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROY C. DOUGLAS. Witnesses:

FLOYD M. LANE, E. E. LAYMANCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

